The published letter by Mr. Cotton was a long-winded partisan push to march property owners to the ECISD taxation Gulag. While he decried anonymity in social media, he kept anonymous the names of survey and research groups he says support his push for bond approval.
The last bond paid for expansion of OHS and Permian facilities in lieu of construction of another campus. This was done for political reasons that have to do with making them each 6A schools for football teams status—not improving “education of our children”. That worn refrain sours the melody of the same tired song that burns our ears. Now, the move to build a 3rd high school campus? Pahleeze! And, just who will be the recipient of the cash purchase for the new site, eh? Anyone known to us? Why nobody knows, right? Anonymity is the best…policy, eh. Anyone consider road improvements in support of a new site? I’ll bet no better than the dopes who didn’t think ahead during planning, construction, then opening of Dr. Lee Buice school at 87th & North Dawn. No consideration to access improvements to OHS & Permian when they were expanded, was there? Nope. Now all three are a more dangerous traffic problem to the students and general driving population.
This area’s political consideration of what works best for the taxed and “the children” is woefully deficient. Government—and ECISD is government also—loves stuffing its hands into the pockets of others to spend on projects they can take political credit (pride) for in the next step to claw deeper. So, how about that funding of…roadside art, eh? Oh, what a wonderful downtown convention center, eh? My, wouldn’t it be nicer to have…a new County Court House? And that expansion of Faudree Road couldn’t have been foreseen during the development of Parks Bell? Well, what the heck, Odessa did bypass all north of 57th street, past Schleymeyer Field, past East Hillmont, to annex 86th and all north of it—for expansion of tax base. All one need look at is the city limit area map of Odessa to get the point.
All the expansions of tax base have funded a study in local government waste and taxpayer abuse. Now, with inflation above 8%, dollar value depreciation is squeasing family budgets even more. Oh, please raise my taxes again, I can’t stand relief! (Sarcasm, in case you missed it).
Doug Moss
Odessa
